The Third Rises
by FantasyMagick444
Summary: set durring Lady Knight. What would happen if Neal found a Mage that was Stronger then Numair? Now Think of what would happen if that Mage was a Girl.....
1. The Beginning

The Third Rises  
  
A/N: I don't own anything, except what you don't recognize.  
  
Keladry of Mindelan sat at the desk, in her guest room at Fort Mastiff. Tomorrow, she'd be making the ride back to Haven but something felt wrong. ' I know there's nothing wrong. My people are well trained, and damn good fighters. Merric will be fine without my.' She had felt so bad about leaving Tobe behind. She calmed herself down and read one of her favorite books that was in Yamani. There was a knock at the door. Kel went and answered it. There was a woman of 16 standing before her, black hair, fair skin and blazing blue eyes. This was Briana, a poor girl Neal found 2 years ago who lived on the streets. She was the only known omni-mage, a mage with several different Gifts. She was even said to have the Sight. She now served Neal as Tobe served Kel; only she slept next door to Kel, not Neal. Briana was even trained in fighting with staff, crossbow, and sword. Kel remembered hearing another knight saying once that the only person who could even possibly match her skills was Numair. "What can I do for you Briana?" "I would like to know if milady would be able to spare a candle. I need another to light my room." "Yes, I believe I have some in the other room-" "I know" Briana reached out a hand; palm up, as the two candles Kel had spoken of floated to her. "Thank you milady." "Thank you for showing me that. I've never even seen Numair do THAT." "Its called Telekinesis. Master Numair does not know it, nor does he wish to, for reasons unknown to me." The mage-girl left Kel's rooms with the candles and leaving Kel feeling odd. This common girl could be all that stands in the way of the destruction of Tortal. So why didn't the King value her more? 


	2. Predictions

Chapter 2: The Mages Will  
  
A/N: I'm TP I don't own anything except stuff you don't recognize.  
  
Kel Went to sleep and had one of her Blayce dreams. Yet when she awoke there was still the sound of horse hoofs. She could barely remember putting one her breeches and boots as she was ordered to go see Lord Wyldon. She saw Neal and the other first year knights in the hall. Neal was dragging a half-asleep Briana behind him. (a/n: Where did they meet Lord Wyldon?) They all found Lord Wyldon in his office, helping a boy hold a steaming cup. His face was dirty and scratched, his clothes muddy and tattered. It was fortunate Wyldon gripped the mug. Tobe let go of it and scrambled across the room with a cry of "Lady!" He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her nightshirt. Kel hugged her boy. Sobs shook his frame, though he refused to make any noise. Soothing him, she looked at Wyldon. That Tobe was here in such condition, told her what had happened. Wyldon stood. He took Company Eight and Company Six, scouts, battle mages, and clerks as Kel got as much information from Tobe as possible. Neal Put a green glowing hand on Tobe's back as he instantly fell into dreamless sleep. Wyldon, then said, "Change and arm up, Mindelan, Queenscove," he ordered tersely "Your riding mounts are being saddled." Neal was about ready to give Briana some orders when Wyldon continued " Queenscove take your mage with you. You'll need all the help you can get." The three nodded. When they got to the stables, Briana no longer wore a blue dress, but black breeches and tunic. She mounted her red and white horse, Cloud, and rode out to Neal and Kel. "Why wear black" he asked. She looked down. "Where I come from black is a mourning color." He looked puzzled "What's that supposed to mean?" "You'll see." Wyldon led their force, leaving Mastiff in the hands of one company, while two went with him. Kel was left to her thoughts during the ride. 'You'll see?' what does she mean? I swear if those stormwings did anything.' The scent of smoke and stormwings reached them as they emerged from the trees onto the flatlands where Haven's fields lay. 'Now we'll see what Briana meant' Kel thought just before she came around the bend, and saw what had become of her people. 


	3. To Kill a Stormwing

Chapter 3, ----------- To kill a Stormwing----------------------------------  
  
  
  
A/N: I own nothing except this stupid plot. ALSO: I'm thinking about changing "Briana"'s name. If you have any good suggestions e-mail me at: ShadowFlare1219@aol.com  
  
What Briana saw would haunt her the rest of her life. Stormwings circled the camp overhead as they made their was to the gate. Wyldon had dispatched Company Eight onto the rider's tracks as the rest of the party continued. With Kel now in command, they bound into the gate and saw before them what had indeed become of Haven. Everyone went in different areas to search. Neal and Briana had both started to cry, but Kel was in pure shock. Briana, shamelessly letting tears roll down her face as she went with Neal and Kel by the Infirmary. Briana gasped and went over to a body near the infirmary door. It was a convict man Kel had often seen Briana care for. She had suspected a relationship between them but that wasn't confirmed until now. Briana wept while holding the man's neck. Kel could tell the stormwings had been at him bad. Briana sobbed and cried quietly for her love. She knew he was a convict, for theft. She knew a happy life might never have existed for them but she loved him all the same. She loved all these people. And now, their bodies had been desecrated by stormwings. She hated the horrid beasts, but no other loathing compared to now. Now she wanted revenge, wanted blood. She wanted them to pay for her pain. Briana let go of the man once named Airk, and stood beside Kel as a female Stormwing floated down in front of them. It was a female Yamani Stormwing and how both Kel and Briana hated her. The creature spoke insincerely, "We are sorry for this, a little. We were not certain if the rules applied, this being a refugee camp, not exactly a fort." The creature frowned. "But then the enemy came with their weapons, and their giant metal insects, and their Shamans. Your people included soldiers, they carried weapons." The Stormwing shrugged. "We did what we live to do. It is the first proper feast we have had in this place, without you to run us off." Both women were angry, no one noticed the wind pick up a little as Kel said, "And it meant nothing to you, that my people took up weapons, and fought for lives, and their families, and their homes, when otherwise they'd have never fought at all." The Stormwing shrugged again, "I said we were sorry. If only you were not stingy, perhaps we might have held off. Practically everyone else lets us have the enemy dead." "The enemy dead" Kel repeated with numb lips. "They let you have the enemy dead." "Who cares about the enemy?" asked the Stormwing, "probably just you." The creature smiled cruelly. "We are done now you may bury what is left." The wind had picked up more as Briana's eyes turned all white. Without warning her leg went flying up to hit the Stormwing in the temple. The blow was so hard the Stormwing fell backwards. There was a long cut on the side of her otherwise perfect face. The cut immediately healed. Briana's eyes turned all black, as she said a few words. The creature went flying into the back wall. She could not move, the mage was controlling her. " You think this is just a game Stormwing? You think you can just shrug of my pain?" The Female beast hit the ground extremely hard. Briana was now hovering 3 feet off the ground, with a navy blue orb around her. Kel was terrified. "Neal can't you do anything?" He came running over. " I'm not gonna get killed." They simply stared in awe as the mage chanted spells and finally impaled the Stormwing on one of the sharpened logs on Havens walls. The strongest female mage in history killed what many thought were immortals. Briana rose up to where the other stormwings were, destruction clearly on her mind, her eyes turning blood red. "Nothing good can come from this, Wyldon said from behind Kel. " Neal there has to be something you can do to stop her." Neal looked at his best friend. " well there is one thing." 


	4. The Mages Voice

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chapter 4- The Mages Voice  
  
  
Briana flew up to the Stormwings in her bubble. The creatures seemed to know what was going to happen, and flew as fast as they could away from her. With a grunt of frustration and energy, Briana bent down slightly as black wings came from her back. "Neal what can you do?" asked Kel hurriedly. "It's a potion I know of called The Mages Voice. Basically we create the potion from Stormwing blood, grass root, red dragon tooth, Lagruca (A/N: La-Grew-Ka) plant, and tree bark. You mix it up and the creator puts some of his, or her-" he looked at Kel, he knew she'd hit him if he didn't add the "her" in there. "Anyway the creator puts some of their magic into it. Then a none-magick person must touch Briana's skin. The longer you hold on, the more energy you drain until she is too tired to carry on and falls, then we catch her. Kel would you like to do the honors?" Everyone knew Kel didn't want to do it but in a dry tone that sounded strangely like Neal's she said, "Do I have a choice?"  
This made her best friend laugh, " Not at all!" they went into the infirmary and Neal took a large see-through glass case with tons of little potion jars and ingredients. "Always this prepared Neal?" He just smiled and sarcastically added, "I'm not always this low on supplies." He mixed the potion; with blood from the pile of dead Stormwings Briana had left. 'Strange' Kel thought, 'never thought I'd be defending stormwings from one girl, One Powerful girl.' When the mixing was done the goopy mess was Kel's to use. "But Neal how do I get close enough to touch her?" it was true no one had indeed thought of how to reach their enraged friend. Neal was exhausted from having to heal Merric and do the potion.   
His eyes barely open he looked at Kel. "She has a soft spot for healing those who really need it. She Hates to see death, she'd bring the dead back if she could, all you…need is some…bait." at this he fell asleep on his feet. Some guards took Neal back to go sleep at the camp. Merric had been in the room, bandages everywhere, blood staining the crystal white of them. He was sitting in a chair by Kel. "Kel let me go, she doesn't know me that well. She wouldn't suspect me of tricking her." It was true and Kel knew it. But what if something happened to Merric? Would Briana… no Briana was her friend too and wouldn't kill some one for the hell of it. Even when killing the stormwings, she had her reasons. She did what Kel felt like doing. "Alright Merric, but if anything happens, you might be forced to kill her. I'll be standing by to make sure I can help if need be." He nodded and Kel went with him out in front where Briana was. "Help!" kel screamed to Briana. "Briana help us! Sir Merric is hurt and Neal wont wake up!" this got to Briana. Sure she didnt really know Sir Merric, and its not like she was in love with him or anything, But no one deserved to die in such a horrid place.   
She gave up her Stormwing chase. Her wings changed from black to white, her eyes back to blue and the orb dissappered. She flew back down to Kel and Merric, bright dancing red fire met merrics wounds. 'how odd' Kel thought, 'I thought a mages magick color is the same color as their eyes. Then why is Briana's red?' The mage was touching a wound on Merric's side. "How can you Knights let yourselves get so cut up?" she said bluntly. Merric was unsure of what do to and just said, "I'm sorry." She sighed. "Sorry or not Sir Merric almost all of these wounds are infected. I'd hate to see someone die from something like this." she pointed to Merric's biggest cut, on his thigh. "Please don't say "sir" they say it enough at court, i dont need that here." he paused a moment, then asked, "Why do you still have wings?" She stopped healing his thigh wound and started on one at his chest. "its a mark of something very tragic that happened to me as a child. They will stay until midnight. at midnight they will painfull go back into my skin, causing the long scars that i have on my back." He was narly healed when she told him to get some rest and to keep his bandages clean. "you know how much i hate healing infections." was her reason. He promised on his shield to keep everything clean just for her. Wyldon rode back to Mastiff, leaving Kel to bury her dead and leave her people to Blayce. But her refugees weren't the only things on her mind. was she dreaming, or was there something more between Merric and Briana then just a Healer-Patient relationship? 


	5. Fears Of A Healer

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Let The Past Die ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
A/N: What Do you think Of The Name Isadora?(IS-A-DOOR-A) Should I Change Briana's Name? You decide. also i own nothing, if you sue me all you'll get is a half drunk pepsi can, pocket lint, and an empty popcorn bag. on with the story*************************************************************  
  
Everyone but Kel and two diggers went back to Mastiff. Neal rigged strechers for the wounded men who could not ride, Merric among them. Briana, riding her horse Cloud, was in a deep conversation on magick with Neal when they arrived at the fort. They were met by Owen, Lord Wyldon's squire. Neal and Briana went into the infirmary, preparing for a long night, and bad headaches in the morning. (a/n: i remember in the Alanna books, she always got headaches when she did a lot of magick. also i know this is a lil wacked and messed up, but i needed to change some stuff for the story. ) Neal attended to a Haven Soldier found in the barn with Merric and the other wounded. Briana attended Merric once more. "Good, no new infections, and if you sleep well, and don't get hurt again, most of these should disappear. I believe the one on your leg, however, will become a scar. its quite bad." Merric was half-asleep, healing always did this to him. "Neal? What should i do for the leg wound infection?" Neal came over to the other mage. Green fire washed over Merric. "Magick wont do it. you might have to cut and drain it. After you drain it , magick will more then likely work." This was the part of being a healer that the girl hated. She hated to do surgery, or to drain wounds. The best way to her was to put some power into a wound to heal it. that way her patient wasnt hurt and she didnt have to inflict them with pain. She looked in Merric's eyes. "I'm sorry to have to do this." it looked as if she might cry. Briana put her hands at Merric's temples to put him in a deep sleep where pain would not find him. His last thoughts were of her, and how wrong it must be for someone like him to think them. The next morning Merric woke in the Infirmary, with a large blanket covering him. "damn Neal." he managed to say, realizing that he had just went through a massive healing and had nothing but the blanket. He sat up on the cot he had been sleeping on. Briana came over to him with a breakfast of herbal tea, and porriage with honey. "Good morning." she said with a smile. "Neal and I were able to rid you of the leg infection. although, you shouldnt ride for a few days." he just rubbed his eyes, the sun made them hurt. She placed the food on the table next to him. "Also theres something Neal wanted to talk with us about later. Said it was something about Kel running away." 


	6. Memories and Tear Drops

*~*~*Memories and Tear Drops*~*~*~*~* Chapter 6 A/N: i guess her name stays Briana. also i own nothing, dont bother to sue, you'll waste more money then you will recieve. also, excuse anything i might change in making this story. on to the story-----------------------------------  
  
Merric stared at his food. "What do you mean Kel ran away? You dont mean after her refugees? I Swear! Her and her affection toward commoners! She'd die for some of those beggars." Briana went over to some over-sized clothing handing Merric a white shirt and brown breeches. "I was once one of those common beggars. do you hate me as well?" she walked out into the sun light. Today she wore a white dress with red apron. her blazing blue-black hair was pinned up. Merric finished dressing and went outside. all the while thinking, 'I totally forgot. Neal even told me that she came from the most horrid slums, and after only a few months of training with him and the Lioness she became just like a noble. she must hate me now. i'm so dumb.' He walked up behind her, looking down nervously at his hands. "Neal told me about you. and I'm sorry if I offended you." Briana sighed, "There are many things not known to Neal. Things locked away deep inside. Most you'd think would make me hate nobles. and yet here i stand before you, like one of your own." The girl put her head down, " Do you know what it is like to have no one love you? to be hated for something you cant control? To have no one to talk to and confide in?" He felt sorry for her, but that wasnt the only emotion working its way. there were a few that that made his eyes sting and put a lump in his throat. in the early hours there was no one to watch the scene unfold except the mage and knight. "You know, Briana, you can always talk to me. I am interested in what you have to say. There are things that I- and the rest of my fellow Knights would like to know about you." Briana turned around. her head barely came up to his shoulders, as she looked up into his eyes. "like what?" He looked into her eyes, new tears were forming in them. He hated to see her cry. "Tell me why you have wings." Briana walked back into the infirmary and sat in a chair that was by Merric's bed. He followed, sitting on the bed. "When i was 5 years old my mother either died, was killed, or disappeared. All i can remember was that after I turned 5 it was just my father and me. I was beaten daily, with anything he could grasp. Firewood was a favorite of his, i still remember when my punishment, at 7 years old, was to be whipped 10 times then scalded with boiling water. His abuse is what led me to have powers. One night, he had cut up my arm so bad with broken glass i could barely move it. This was at age 9." she stopped, looking distant, as if she was far away. " I was to cook dinner and ending up burning that arm on the fire. He took out a Dagger and said i deserved to pay for the ruined food. That night was one of the worst nights of my life. My ribs were broken, my wrists also. He cut me on my back, where my wings come from, and he broke all my toes. one by one to torture me. I couldnt move for days after. My right arm was useless by then and i still had to clean and cook. Then when i was 12, he decided that i was old enough to make my own money." she paused. ' oh gods!' Merric thought. 'He beat his own daughter then sold her on the street.' she continued. "He put me out on the street to become a prostitute, at 12. Oh but before that he had to teach me a lesson, i never knew what for. He gave me scars all over my body, slitting my wrists in the process. So after that beating he put me outside like a piece of meat. only thing is, i refused to comply. i ran, faster then i thought i could, into the forest surrounding my house. I ran until i could no longer move, until i reached a cliff. He thought he had me, and he pulled out the dagger ready to kill me. i still remember his words, 'even a dead girl makes money as a whore' and he smiled an evil smile and came running at me. At the very last second, i screamed with all my might to my mother, where ever she was to save me. and i grew wings to fly away from my father. i spent 4 years on the streets, then came upon Neal who like Kel saved Tobe, he saved me. And that is why i have wings, because i would have been dead by now, from my father or some other hazard of the streets." She hung her head in shame. "And now like everyone else who has heard this, will you leave me too? Will you leave me saying that i am a freak that should be burnt for having wings?" a few minutes passed as she said. "Please dont be silent. it will only confirm my fears of turning away another friendly ear." He looked at her, tears steady in their flow on her face. ' how can anyone do that to their child and how could she think i hate her?' without thinking her turned to her and did something he had never done before. He burst open with tears of both pity and love for this girl and hugged her almost as tight as she hugged him. Briana was concerned now. did he just want to use her? did he just pity her? what was their relationship now? she let go of her and looked into his eyes, "what are we now? I dont know if i could stand us not being able to talk anymore." as he looked at her he know what he would like,(A/N: and nothing sick! DO I HEAR WEDDING BELLS?) "What ever it is, I'm just happy its with you."(a/n: aww.. so sweet! thanx to KindLuvsweet for the idea) She dried her eyes. " i think we should eat and go see Neal sometime soon. Theres a rescue plan in order. 


End file.
